Backspin in Basketball

Broad Question

Will putting backspin on the ball make you have a better shot?

Specific Question

How does backspin on the ball affect the shot in basketball?

Independent Variable:

Speed of backspin.

Dependent Variable:

Number of shots made.

Variables That Need To Be Controlled:

Where the shot is taken from.

Hypothesis

I believe that the slower backspin will help the shot sink better that fast backspin.

Graph of Hypothesis

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Experimental Design

My specific question is “How can the amount of backspin on a ball affect the shot in basketball?” What I will be doing is shooting a basketball 200 times from 2 different spots, and recording the data. What I am trying to find in my information, is how the amount of backspin affects the angle that the basketball rebounds off of the backboard. I will be conducting this experiment outside of my house. I will be testing each angle of the shot 50 times, with major backspin and minor backspin. I will put the statistics from my trials on a pre-made spreadsheet. On my spreadsheet, I will have the amount of backspin and the number of shots made from different differences.

Materials List

• Basketball
• Gym
• Copy of Spreadsheet
• Kip

Detailed Procedure

• Go to the open gym with Kip.
• Grab 2 basketballs.
• Both shoot from the corner from 12 feet away 50 times.
• Record shots made with corresponding bask spin.
• Take 50 foul shots.
• Repeat step 4.
• Take 50 12 foot jump shots from the wing.
• Repeat step 4.
• Input data onto digital spreadsheet.

Data Table

Time Line

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Background Research

Background Research

Backspin is a big controversy in basketball on whether it really does help your shot or not. Throughout my thorough research, I have leaned many ways that backspin can help contribute to your shot. First of all, if you over shoot it, with backspin it has a better chance of going through the basket because the ball will spin down and fall through. Also, when you shoot with backspin, the form looks better when you let it go and it makes contact with the net. Backspin can help a not perfect shot bounce or roll into the hoop, pulling the ball towards the basket. Also it is easier to get more power and accuracy in your shot with backspin rather than without.

1. Source: Hareas, John. Ultimate Basketball. DK, Print.
1. Information: It is said that backspin has a huge affect on the shot in basketball. Because of the backspin, if you over shoot the shot, when the basketball hits the backboard it will spin right down through the bucket. Backspin is taught through out all the NBA and is widely known as an advantage and a good strategy for shooting.
2. Source: Normani, Franko. "The Physics of Basketball." 2009. Web. 1 Jan. <http://www.real-world-physics-problems.com/physics-of-basketball.html>.
2. Information: This website explained very well how backspin has a major impact on a shot in basketball. It says that when the shot does not have perfect shot, the backspin can force the ball to spin off the backboard or off of the back of the rim.
3. Source: Willis , Bill. "Backspin on basketball." Web. 1 Jan. <http://www.worsleyschool.net/science/files/physicsof/basketball.html>.
3. Information: When you shoot the basketball at the hoop, the shot looks better when the ball spins back on contact with the net. Also, it helps when the shot hits the backboard.
4. Source: Sanders, Jim . "The Art of Basketball." The Art of Shooting a Basketball. Web. 1 Jan. <http://coacheshome.tripod.com/shooting.html>.
4. Information: This website claims that the backspin makes a big difference. The shot form is easier to release with accuracy when putting backspin on the ball. Also that the shot is more likely to drop into the hoop while bouncing or rolling around the rim.

References

"The Physics of Basketball ............" Worsley School OnLine... the Website for Worsley School ................... Web. 09 Mar. 2012. <http://www.worsleyschool.net/science/files/physicsof/basketball.html>.

"Nothing But Net: The Science of Shooting Hoops." Science Fair Project Ideas, Answers, & Tools. Web. 09 Mar. 2012. <http://www.sciencebuddies.org/science-fair-projects/project_ideas/Sports_p010.shtml>.

Diagram

Photo List

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Data Table

Graphs

Photos

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Data Analysis

Conclusion

The original purpose of this experiment was to test if backspin should be put on the shot in basketball for a more accurate shot. The results of this experiment was that the fast backspin can help put the ball in the basket when it hits the backboard or rolls around the rim. What I found was that putting backspin on the ball forces your arm and wrist to go straight towards the basket, forcing it to go straight. It is harder to get the right angle on the ball when you shoot it with a lot of backspin.

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Discussion

My hypothesis was that I believe that the slower backspin will help the shot sink better that fast backspin. My results do support my hypothesis. My independent variable was the speed of backspin on the shot, and it came out to be that there was a relationship with the dependent variable. My dependent variable was how many shots went in. Some trends seemed to show that the slower backspin was more affective in making shots than the shots with faster backspin. i think the test that I did went pretty smoothly, with some minor bumps and problems. At first, I had some troubles finding gym time, but after that, the process went smoothly. I took my shots and experimented with the speed of backspin. After my shots, I recorded my data. If i could redo my experiment to improve it, I would be more accurate with the actual speed of the backspin to make it more consistent. An interesting future study would involve at what specific place you look at while shooting the ball.